Stacked sheet article with release coated removable areas



P. SHORIN A ril 28, 1970 STACKED SHEET ARTICLE WITH RELEASE COATEDREMOVABLE AREAS Filed Sept. 28, 1967 F/Gi3 INVENTOR PH/L 0 67/02 WMATTORNEY United States Patent 3,508,754 STACKED SHEET ARTICLE WITHRELEASE COATED REMOVABLE AREAS Philip Shorin, Kings Point, N.Y.,assignnr t0 Chromographic Press, Inc., Harnden, 'C0nn., a corporation ofConnecticut Filed Sept. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 671,331 Int. Cl. A63f 9/18US. Cl. 273-139 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game board or thelike and method of making the same comprising stacked discrete sheets,portions of which sheets have been coated with release coat areas, therelease coat areas of the sheets being in registry with the release coatareas of the next adjacent sheets, continuous adhesive layers or filmsbeing interposed between adjacent sheets, the release coated portions ofthe stacked sheets being substantially completely separated from themain body of the sheets to permit removal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention Thisinvention is in thefield of game boards or like devices, which term may be broadlyconstrued to include puzzles, punch boards, quiz-answer games,educational devices such as testing sheets and the like, as Well asconstructions, toys, boxes, pop-up books, etc. wherein two or morelayers or lamina of paper, cardboard or the like are to be selectivelyconnected at predetermined portions and parts of said layers are to besubsequently displaced from the plane of the sheets.

Description of the prior art In certain types of read-out sheets, gameboards or puzzles, it is known to provide a laminar structure comprisingtwo or more layers wherein the layers are secured to each other byadhesive applied at the adjacent interfaces of the layers in all butcertain selected areas. The sheets are thereafter die cut so as toseparate the nonadhesively secured areas of the sheets from thesurrounding areas of the sheets except for a tab connection. The cutoutareas may be removed by the insertion of a sharp tool into the area ofthe score or slit which separates the areas from the remainder of thesheets and the cutout areas may be thus pried from the sheets.

Usually, either the under surface of the cutout area or the uppersurface of the next adjacent sheet in registry with the cutout will bearsome marking or indicia which is generally coordinated with theinformation or decorations appearing on the uppermost sheet, i.e. theupper sheet may pose a question which is answered by informationappearing on the underside of the removal area.

Prior devices of this sort have been deficient in many serious respects,which have prevented their widespread use. Since the practice in thepast has been to apply the adhesive material selectively to those areasto be stuck together, it has been impossible to provide a plurality ofclosely adjacent removable areas. This difficulty has arisen from thefact that the areas to be coated with glue cannot be accuratelycontrolled and there is likelihood that the glue, if over-applied, willspread. Since glues are normally applied in the liquid phase and theunder layers placed in contact during such phase, the application ofpressure causes an uncertain and uncontrollable spreading of the glue toareas remote from the areas to which the glue has initially beenapplied. Efforts to eliminate undue spreading of the glue by applyingminimal quantities of glue or by spacing the areas to which the glue isapplied 3,508,754 Patented Apr. 28, 1970 considerable distances from theareas to be removed, of permitting the glue to set to the nearly solidphase before contacting the under layers have often resulted instructures which are not adequately secured together and have a tendencyto delaminate. This is particularly so in the critical areas directlysurrounding the formation of the die cuts, it being a desideratum that aparticularly good adhesion be effected in such areas.

Further, in such prior known devices, a thin neck or tab is relied uponas a means for retaining the die cut segments within the body of thesheet. Unless the dies are maintained within precise tolerances, it ispossible that the area to be severed may be so lightly held or held byso small a tab as to fall out prematurely, under the influence ofshipping and normal handling.

Conversely, if the neck or tab used to unite the uppermost of a seriesof registering cutout areas of the base sheets is too broad or heavy, itis possible, after removal of an uppermost segment, for residualincrements of a prior tab to overlie the removal buttons or areas of theunderlayer and thus prevent or greatly increase the difficulty ofremoving the under layer areas.

In prior devices it was possible for the user, in attempting to removethe uppermost area, to insert a pry completely through the upper layerand into the second layer, for instance, and to pry out portions of thelower layer. Obviously this would result in a lack of coordina tionbetween the material on the removable component and the informationalareas on the upper sheet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a read-out sheet orother construction, such as a box, toy or container and to the method ofmaking the same, comprising a plurality of sheets adhesively securedtogether, the sheets prior to application of the adhesive, beingimprinted in selected areas with a release coat portion or portions.

A continuous adhesive layer is interposed between the release coatedsurface of one layer and the next adjacent layer so as to define adifferential adhesive bond between the layers, the bond being strongestin the areas not having the interposed release coat.

The laminar stack or composite of sheets is die cut, preferablyfollowing integration of the sheets into a stack, to sever the portionsof the sheets in registry with the release coated areas from theremainder of the sheets. Severing may be substantially complete orcomplete Without danger of inadvertent premature removal of the severedareas since, despite the release coating, a partial, temporary adhesionof the severed areas is effected.

Optionally but preferably, where the device is used as a read-out sheetthe areas intended to be removed are provided with access apertures,which access apertures are slightly out of register with each other, topermit ation to the removal facilitating function, performs a protectivefunction for the indicia.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved gameor read-out board having removable areas and an improved method ofmaking the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed wherein a series of relatively closely spaced apart removableareas may be formed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of theclass described which includes a series of stacked, removable areaswherein there is substantially no 3 danger of inadvertently removingmore than one layer at a time.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein orbe hereinafter pointed out, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a read-out board of the typedescribed;

FIGURE 2 is a magnified exploded perspective view of two adjacent layersof the board of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a magnified vertical section taken on the line 3--3 ofFIGURE 1.

In accordance with the invention, the read-out device is comprised of aseries of sheets 11, 12, 13, 14 which are strongly adhesively secured toeach other in all areas except the areas in registry with the removablebutton portions or areas 15. The sheets 11 to 14 may be comprised ofheavy paper, oak tag, cardboard, etc., as is well known.

The upper surface 16 of the uppermost sheet 11 is normally provided withinformation areas, decorations, etc., either by imprinting the surfaceof the sheet between the removable buttons or by imprinting the buttonsthemselves, such as shown by the button 17 which is imprinted on itsupper surface with the numeral 1.

The sheets 11 to 14, which are normally congruent, are initially usuallyprinted in the areas registering with the removable buttons 15, 15, 15".The imprinting may be effected on one or both faces of the removablebuttons, as evidenced by buttons 18, 18see FIGURES l and 2, wherein itis seen that the upper surface of button 18 is imprinted with thenumeral 2 and the upper surface of the registering button 18' directlybeneath button 18 is imprinted with the letter A. It will be readilyapparent that with imprinting of the type described, the numeralappearing on the button 18 may correspond with a number test questionand the answer appearing on the upper face of the button 18' mayrepresent the correct answer to the question.

It will be appreciated that there are substantially unlimited variationsof the information to be included on the sheets and the removablebuttons, the device being susceptible of use as, for instance, a type ofpunch board, etc.

After the desired imprinting of the upper or lower faces of the sheets,or both, a release coat 19 is applied to those areas in registry withthe buttons. The release coat 19, particularly where it is applied inoverlying relationship to printing, is preferably a transparentprotective film forming material which may be readily applied to thepaper or cardboard by silk screening, gravure or like known processes,and may comprise a varnish or may be comprised of an anti-stickmaterial, such as silicone, quillon, etc.

It will be appreciated that the release coat may be applied to the undersurface of the removable area, as shown in FIGURE 3, to the uppersurface of the under-adjacent removable area, or to both said areas.Normally however, the release coat, particularly where the samecomprises a varnish, is disposed over the printing material.

After all of the sheets have been imprinted and suitably release coated,a continuous layer of adhesive 20 is disposed over the entirety of theinter-faces between adjacent sheets. It will be appreciated that theadhesive may be applied either across the entirety of the under surfaceof the sheet 11 or across the entirety of the upper face of the sheet12.

After application of the adhesive, the sheets are pressed together andthe adhesive is permitted to set. It will be appreciated that aftersetting of the adhesive, the portions of the inter-faces not havingrelease coat protection will be firmly and securely adhered to eachother, and that a light and separable bond is formed between adjacentsheets in the areas in registry with the release coats.

The stack of integrated sheets is thereafter die cut, to severconnection of the buttons 15, etc., and the matrix sheets or webs fromwhich the buttons are formed. The die cutting step is preferablyeffected as nearly as possible to the border between the release coatedand non-release coated areas, but not outside such areas.

In accordance with the preferred form of the invention, a substantiallycomplete separation is effected by the die cutting step, although it ispermissible for small increments 17a, 18a, etc. of material to remainuncut.

As previously suggested, it is one important feature of the presentinvention that a complete or substantially complete separation may beaffected, due to the light but effective inter-layer adherence achievedbetween the release coated areas and the adhesive.

Preferably in the same or a step subsequent to die cutting which, in theillustrated embodiment, severs the buttons in the circular lines D,there is formed through the buttons a series of access apertures 21,2-2see FIGURE 2. The access apertures are formed by a punch which isdirected against the sheets at an angle with respect to a lineperpendicular to the sheets. As a result of the angular intersection ofthe punch and a series of registering buttons, it will be observed thatthe aperture 21 formed in an upper button will be angularly offset fromthe aperture 22 of the underneath button. This relationship is bestshown in FIGURE 2, wherein a projection in dotted lines of the aperture21 of button 18 is shown on the button 18', to demonstrate the angularlyoffset positions of said apertures.

It Willl be understood from the foregoing that a removal tool T, such asa wire, pick, etc., may be inserted through the uppermost aperture 21 ina direction perpendicular to the plane of the sheets and after passingthrough the depth of the uppermost sheet, will stop against the uppersurface of the second sheet. At this point the tool T may be used as alever or pry for removing the uppermost button only.

From the foregoing it will be evident that there is described animproved game or punch board device comprising a plurality of layershaving removable buttons or like portions which, upon removal, willprogressively expose a series of similar under layers.

The read-out or game board device is substantially free from the flawsheretofore experienced with devices of this class. Specifically, themanufacturing steps are greatly simplified in that application ofadhesive to selected areas and close control of timing of application ofone layer to the other is not required.

While in normal manufacture it is preferred to form the die cuts afterthe integration of the sheets, it will be appreciated that the sheetsmay be individually die cut and thereafter connected together, thelatter sequence being preferred where the cutout areas of adjacentsheets are to differ in size from layer to layer. For instance, it maybe desired for the upper surface to define one large removable area, toexpose a face for example, in the second layer the face itself includinga series of removable portions, i.e. eyes, mouth, etc. which, afterremoval, expose features in the third layer which will vary theappearance of the face.

While the device has been described primarily in conjunction with amulti-layer game board, etc., it should be understood that the benefitsof the invention, and particularly the method, have value in many otherapplications, e.g. box constructions, pop-up toys, or the like. In suchapplications, it will be appreciated that a layer or layers are coatedwith a release in certain areas and an overall glue layer contacted withthe release coated and the surrounding areas. By this method, selectedadhesion between predetermined areas is achieved, and where a die cutarea is to be formed, the glue in the seprated or bent out die cut areamay serve to rigidify the cutout portion (assuming the release coat tobe deposited on the layer in register with the portion to be cut or bentout rather than on the cutout portion).

The order of operations, and particularly the order in which the diecutting or scoring step is performed in relation to the other steps, isnot critical and, thus, the claims are not to be interpreted as limitedin this respect except to the extent therein set forth.

It will be understood that the construction may comprise two or morelayers without limitation and that substantially infinite uses orvariations on the foregoing concepts may be made.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what isclaimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a game board or the like comprisinga plurality of stacked sheets, release coat areas formed on oneconfronting face of each pair of said sheets, said release coat areasbeing separated by uncoated portions, substantially continuous adhesivelayers overlying, said one face of said sheets and adhesive- 1y securingsaid one face to the face of an adjacent sheet, the release coated areasof said stacked sheets being disposed in registry with the releasecoated areas of the other of said sheets, the areas of said plurality ofsheets coextensive with the release coated areas being substantiallyseparated from the remainder of the sheets, aperture means formedthrough said sheets in said release coated areas to provide access forinsertion of a removal tool, said access apertures being staggeredwhereby insertion of a removal tool in a direction normal to the surfaceof said sheets will be blocked, the staggered access aperture locationon the next adjacent sheet preventing the inadvertent removal of morethan one layer at a time.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein indicia are imprinted onsaid one face of said sheets beneath and in registry with said releasecoated areas and said release coat is transparent.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a game board or the like comprisinga plurality of stacked sheets, release coat areas formed on oneconfronting face of each pair of said sheets, said release coat areasbeing separated by uncoated portions, substantially continuous adhesivelayers overlying said one face of said sheets and adhesively securingsaid one face to the other face of an adjacent sheet, the release coatedareas of said stacked sheet being disposed in registry with the releasecoated areas of the others of said sheets, access aperture means formedthrough said sheets in said release coated areas to provide access forinsertion of a removal tool, the areas of said plurality of sheetscoextensive with the release coated areas being substantially separatedfrom the remainder of said sheets. substantially separated from theremainder of said sheets.

4. A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said access aperturemeans are formed in the areas adjoining the separation defined betweensaid release coated portions and the remaining portions of said sheets.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 975,887 11/1910 Newton 2731391,619,081 3/1927 McLaurin 156--289 X 2,015,268 9/1935 Hammond 156289 X2,163,478 6/1939 Wolfe 35-9 2,608,502 8/1952 Merriman 156-289 X FOREIGNPATENTS 507,276 6/ 1939 Great Britain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

